Who is Jamil Hussein? Michelle Malkin is leading the charge for an answer, and she put that question to me in her blog. The AP is in the midst of a public firestorm regarding whether supposed Iraqi police captain Jamil Hussein actually exists and, if so, whether he was a legitimate news source for a disputed November 24 AP-reported story saying Shia thugs in Baghdad “grabbed six Sunnis as they left Friday worship services, doused them with kerosene and burned them alive near Iraqi soldiers who did not intervene.” The U.S. military, the Iraqi government, and many others insisted the AP story was false and that Jamil Hussein either was fictitious or was not an Iraqi police officer, as asserted in the AP’s report. The AP has issued two strong statements defending its initial report and produced fresh statements from witnesses of the alleged crime, but the AP has not produced Jamil Hussein himself.

So the search for Jamil Hussein is on, and rightly so. IraqSlogger’s team in Baghdad is working to track him down. If we find him, we’ll get back to you with details. If we can’t find him, we’ll report that, too. If Michelle Malkin wants to join the search in Baghdad, IraqSlogger will pay for her trip, and I’d even be willing to accompany her. Stay tuned.

I e-mailed my acceptance of Jordan’s invitation this morning. No way should we just take the word of the guy who admitted covering up for Saddam Hussein and who resigned from CNN after baselessly slandering the U.S. military (maybe we’ll find the Davos tape while we’re on the search). Plus, it’ll be an incredible opportunity to see Iraq and our troops firsthand. I have many friends, heroes, and contacts there I’d like to meet in person.

Jamilgate isn’t just about Jamil Hussein, I hope Mr. Jordan understands. Hussein is just one piece of the six burning Sunnis puzzle. Allah raises questions about the hospital morgue the AP identified as the one where the bodies were taken and the unidentified workers who appeared and disappeared from AP’s accounts. Maybe we’ll learn more about this, too.

You have to read the Editor & Publisher column by Greg Mitchell to believe it. He makes one mention of Jordan’s departure from CNN in February 2005: “He exited CNN in the wake of the uproar over his off-the-record comments (which he insisted were misinterpreted) at a Davos meeting concerning U.S. military involvement in the accidental deaths of several journalists in Iraq.” That’s not what Jordan said, and Mitchell knows it. Jordan accused the US military of deliberately assassinating journalists in Iraq…

It’s interesting that Jordan chose Iraq as the subject for his return. After all, Jordan admitted to selling out CNN to Saddam Hussein to keep its Baghdad bureau open. He had his reporters read talking points written by Saddam’s henchmen as independent news stories. [E&P writer Greg] Mitchell doesn’t bother to ask about this, even though it goes straight to the question of Jordan’s credibility on any reporting he does on Iraq.

Jordan’s return proves that anyone shameless enough can push his way back into the national spotlight after destroying his credibility.